Metabolic Profiling at COVID-19 Onset Shows Disease Severity and Sex-Specific Dysregulation

Background: metabolic changes through SARS-CoV-2 infection has been reported but not fully comprehended. This metabolic dysregulation affects multiple organs during COVID-19 and its early detection can be used as a prognosis marker of severity. Therefore, we aimed to characterize metabolic and cytokine profile at COVID-19 onset and its relationship with disease severity to identify metabolic profiles predicting disease progression. Material and methods: we performed a retrospective cross-sectional study in 123 COVID-19 patients which were stratified as asymptomatic/mild, moderate and severe according to the highest COVID-19 severity status, and a group of healthy controls. We performed an untargeted plasma metabolic profiling (gas chromatography and capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (GC and CE-MS)) and cytokine evaluation. Results: After data filtering and identification we observed 105 metabolites dysregulated (66 GC-MS and 40 CE-MS) which shown different expression patterns for each COVID-19 severity status. These metabolites belonged to different metabolic pathways including amino acid, energy, and nitrogen metabolism among others. Severity-specific metabolic dysregulation was observed, as an increased transformation of L-tryptophan into L-kynurenine. Thus, metabolic profiling at hospital admission differentiate between severe and moderate patients in the later phase of worse evolution. Several plasma pro-inflammatory biomarkers showed significant correlation with deregulated metabolites, specially with L-kynurenine and L-tryptophan. Finally, we describe a strong sex-related dysregulation of metabolites, cytokines and chemokines between severe and moderate patients. In conclusion, metabolic profiling of COVID-19 patients at disease onset is a powerful tool to unravel the SARS-CoV-2 molecular pathogenesis. Conclusions: This technique makes it possible to identify metabolic phenoconversion that predicts disease progression and explains the pronounced pathogenesis differences between sexes.This study was supported by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII; grant number COV20/1144 (MPY224/20) to AF-R/MJ-S). The study was also funded by CIBER - Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red - (CB 2021; CB21/13/00044), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and Unión Europea - NextGenerationEU. AF-R and MJ-S are Miguel Servet researchers supported and funded by ISCIII (grant numbers: CP14CIII/00010 to AFR and CP17CIII/00007 to MJ-S). Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio, grant number 1.013.005S

Are Reduced Levels of Coagulation Proteins Upon Admission Linked to COVID-19 Severity and Mortality?

Background: The link between coagulation system disorders and COVID-19 has not yet been fully elucidated. Aim: Evaluating the association of non-previously reported coagulation proteins with COVID-19 severity and mortality. Design: Cross-sectional study of 134 COVID-19 patients recruited at admission and classified according to the highest COVID-19 severity reached (asymptomatic/mild, moderate, or severe) and 16 healthy control individuals. Methods: Coagulation proteins levels (antithrombin, prothrombin, factor_XI, factor_XII, and factor_XIII) and CRP were measured in plasma by the ProcartaPlex Panel (Invitrogen) multiplex immunoassay upon diagnosis. Results: We found higher levels of antithrombin, prothrombin, factor XI, factor XII, and factor XIII in asymptomatic/mild and moderate COVID-19 patients compared to healthy individuals. Interestingly, decreased levels of antithrombin and factors XI, XII, and XIII were observed in those patients who eventually developed severe illness. Additionally, survival models showed us that patients with lower levels of these coagulation proteins had an increased risk of death. Conclusion: COVID-19 provokes early increments of some specific coagulation proteins in most patients. However, lower levels of these proteins at diagnosis might "paradoxically" imply a higher risk of progression to severe disease and COVID-19-related mortality.This study was supported by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III [ISCIII; Grant Number COV20/1144 (MPY224/20) to AF-R/MJ-S]. AF-R, MJ-S, and MR are Miguel Servet researchers supported and funded by ISCIII (Grant Numbers: CP14CIII/00010 to AF-R, CP17CIII/00007 to MJ-S, and CP19CIII/00002 to MR).S

Patrimonio cultural : Contextos en transición: pedagogía, cultura y economía sustentable en comunidades americanas

El presente documento es una recopilación de experiencias que fueron parte del I Encuentro Internacional de Patrimonio Cultural celebrado en la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios – UNIMINUTO en septiembre del 2019; así como de otros aportes de investigadores colombianos a la comprensión de temas relacionados con la tradición, la cultura, la memoria y el ecosistema natural en el cual como humanos nos desenvolvemos. Los aportes tienen origen en reflexiones de diferentes países desde Argentina hasta Canadá y cumple con el propósito de realizar un diálogo multidisciplinar de los aspectos que componen el patrimonio cultural en el continente americano

Patrimonio cultural : Contextos en transición: pedagogía, cultura y economía sustentable en comunidades americanas

El presente documento es una recopilación de experiencias que fueron parte del I Encuentro Internacional de Patrimonio Cultural celebrado en la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios – UNIMINUTO en septiembre del 2019; así como de otros aportes de investigadores colombianos a la comprensión de temas relacionados con la tradición, la cultura, la memoria y el ecosistema natural en el cual como humanos nos desenvolvemos. Los aportes tienen origen en reflexiones de diferentes países desde Argentina hasta Canadá y cumple con el propósito de realizar un diálogo multidisciplinar de los aspectos que componen el patrimonio cultural en el continente americano

Alternativas a la reforma educativa neocolonizadora : educación intra e intercultural

La existencia de notables experiencias educativas y en diferentes contextos y países en Latinoamérica, puede enriquecer sustancialmente una reforma educativa. Para ello, la importancia de socializar las experiencias de diálogo intra e intercultural en Bolivia, Latinoamérica y el mundo debe ser considerada como la base de una nueva educación y universidad pública que tenga presencia y sea parte de los movimientos sociales. La propuesta de desarrollo endógeno sostenible se considera como una necesidad que las bases sociales encuentran desde la recuperación y reconstrucción de su propia identidad en el camino de auto-desenvolvimiento desde adentro que desenrolle todo su potencial de sociedad y de civilización en unidad con la tierra, el territorio, la madre tierra, el cosmos y toda la totalidad